New York City-

Last week I took a trip to New York City to discover they're best in food and art. Well, to say the least, New York is full of both! Firstly, they're numerous art galleries, both large and small, are exciting places to discover the latest in art, or rediscover old favourites.
My favourite gallery/museum in New York is hands down the Brooklyn Museum of Art. It compares in size to that of the Metropolitan Art gallery, but has an even better layout. Their contempory art pieces are exciting and whimsical and bountiful. My recommendations for anyone visiting the big apple would be the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Neue Galerie (wonderful selection of Austrian and German art. Can you say Klimt?) and certainly the MET. Chelsea is full of wonderful little galleries, which are a host of new comers and budding artist alike.

 The Brooklyn Museum of Art

Neue Galerie

A must for anyone visiting New York City, is to dine on some good Matzoball soup, pastrami, and 'slaw. My top pick is Lanksy's on Colombus Avenue. Many suggest Katz' Deli, but personally I like the attentive service and atmosphere at Lanksy's. They waite staff are eager and helpful. The portions are HUGE. And the prices are great.

Dining room at Lansky's

Matzoball Soup

Cook book perhaps?

During the past five or six years, i've been thinking about writing a personal collection of recipes (my favourites) that i've mastered over the years. My hopes are that during the process of writing, i'll be able to improve on my general writing skills; which are necessary for university and life! This summer i begin by bringing together old family recipes and current favourites and start compiling them.

Who knows where this may go? I look forward to posting my progress on the blog, as well as the many struggles along the way.

Cheers!

Banana Pancakes for the Nephews!

 Banana Pancakes- serves 2 (makes 5 pancakes)

 Wet Ingrediants:

1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 organic banana

Dry Ingrediants:

3/4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

combine all wet-ingrediants (exceot the banana) well and all dry-ingrediants well and add the together. After batter it well mixed, cube the banana and add to the batter. In a pre-heated cast-iron skillet add 1/2 teaspoon of butter, let melt, then pour in about 1/4 cup of the batter in. cook one side until bubbles appear, then flip. continue process until all the batter is gone. serve warm with maple syrup and sliced banana's as garnish.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Pizza Recipe

I figured I should share atleast one recipe, so this one will be my Vegetarian Pizza:


Ingrediants for Pizza Dough

1 package dry active yeast
11/3 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon sugar

Mix these together and let yeast sit for 5 minutes

Add to the bowl:
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
31/2 cups unbleached al-purpose flour (you may only need 3 cups)

Add the flours gradually to the wet ingrediants until you no longer can mix. Start needing the dough and proceed for roughly ten minutes until the dough is well-combined.
Rest the dough in a clean bowl which is greased lightly with olive oil. Let it rise from between an hour to six hours.

Toppings:
Home-made sauce
1 28ounce can of tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium cooking onion

Crush garlic and dice onions. Cook them on medium heat in the olive oil till the onions are seemingly translucent. Add the can of tomatoes and cook until well-reduced. Add salt to taste.

Red pepper with Balsamic

1 large red pepper
1 garlic clove
1 small cooking onion

Thinly slice red pepper and onions then sautée them in 2 Tablespoons of Olive oil. Add garlic after two minutes of cooking. Once the pepper and onions are soft, de-glaze the pan with 2 tablespoons of fine quality Balsamic Vinegar. Let it reduce and turn heat off.


Roll dough out and top with the Tomato sauce, add Mozzerella and top with the red pepper and balsamic reduction sauce. Top with sliced mushrooms.

Bake @ 475'F till cheese is bubbling and crust is golden brown.



Enjoy!

Look out for Alex Cuba!

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of attending one of Alex Cuba's concerts at the Glenn Gould Studio. It was electric, warm and funky! Alex's ability to light up the audience with soothing and electrifiying sounds from his native Cuba are unprecedented. I entered the concert as a curious listener, and left a fan.
Check him out at:
http://www.alexcuba.com/